Exams & Grades

The Associate Deans and the Registrar’s Office are primarily responsible for the administration of exams. Accordingly, their offices post the Exam Information content which contains everything from exam schedules, permissible materials, exam regulations, and information about finding your exam ID.

Exams and Emergency Closings

The law school is rarely closed for weather or other emergencies. This is especially so during exams. However, sometimes circumstances make it necessary to close unexpectedly. We endeavor to make the decision as early as possible, and to get the information out immediately and in the most effective way. As soon as a decision is made, it is:

posted to the VLS website (www.law.villanova.edu —there will be an “Emergency Closing” icon in the “News & Events” section on the front page. Click on this for the information),

phoned in to KYW (KYW Radio 1060AM – our number is 471 in Delaware County), and

placed on the Law School Emergency Listen Only Voicemail (call 610-519- 7744 to access this message).

Other sources, such as TV stations and other radio stations pick up the announcement from KYW. We do not call them. Therefore, these sources will always be behind and may have the wrong message if there has been a change.

We will make every effort to administer exams as scheduled, even if it is with a skeleton staff (that may mean that things take a little longer, but we will do our best). However, if the area around the building cannot be made safe we cannot open. If there is any question about whether we will be open, please consult the sources listed above.

If we are open, but you determine that it is not safe for you to travel from where you are, you must contact the Registrar’s Office directly and immediately, and in no case later than before the exam is scheduled to begin. Call 610-519-7002 or 610-519-7017 and leave a message, or send an e-mail to registrar@ law.villanova.edu.Do not call these numbers or e-mail that address merely to check on whether we are open or not. Use these numbers only to report that you cannot safely travel to the law school. Please also be aware that the Registrar’s staff will be preparing to start exams and may not be available to answer the phone. Leave a message. It should go without saying that you should only seek to be excused if you are genuinely convinced that it would be unsafe to travel. Should we be forced to close or should you be unable to make your scheduled exam because of weather or other emergency, make-ups will be scheduled for the next available day.

Finding Old Exams

Some Villanova Law faculty have chosen to make their prior exams available to students. A complete searchable list of old exams on file is available in our exam database (villanova login required).

Any exams the database lists as online can be downloaded directly. For older exams that are only listed as available in print, please inquire at the circulation desk of the law library.

For information about study aids and preparing for law school exams, see the Academic Success webpages.